United States: Ex-NY County Democratic Chair Pleads Guilty Over Donation

A former Democratic Party chairman from upstate New York admits arranging for a Canadian citizen to make an illegal $25,000 donation to a New York official’s re-election campaign.

G. Steven Pigeon of Buffalo pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge Tuesday. It was the second guilty plea in two weeks from the former Erie County party chairman. He pleaded guilty in county court Sept. 28 to bribing a judge.

In Tuesday’s case, prosecutors say Pigeon admits that while working as a political consultant, he solicited the donation from a Canadian business executive, knowing that foreign donations to state campaigns are illegal.